Rudolph III of Hulstria
Rudolph III (April 4th, 2312 - June 17th, 2396) of the Rothingren-Traugott Dynasty, was the first Kaiser of the Imperial Crownlands of Greater Hulstria. Until shortly before his coronation, Rudolph and his family lived in exile in Rildanor, however the Imperial Hulstrian Party and Hulstrian Nationalist Party invited the Rothingrens back, so that Rudolph could ascend to the throne as proposed by the IHP. His Great-Great-Great-Grandfather was Klaus Gustav III. Rudolph III has been credited to be the father of the modern Imperial Crowlands of Greater Hulstria and consistently ranked as one of the most influential people in Hulstrian history. =Early Life= Rudolph was born in Ostravan, Nirald, Rildanor to Archduke Sigmund and Archduchess Monika von Rothingren-Traugott. Sigmund was the Great Grandson of Percival von Rothingren-Traugott, the only surviving son of Kaiser Klaus Gustav III. Following the assassination of Klaus Gustav, Percival and his family fled the country, which was being rocked by a Communist take over, to Rildanor. When the communists finally formally seized power, they officially exiled the Rothingrens. Rudolph was raised by his paternal grandmother, Archduchess Klaudia, after whom he would name his only daughter. Klaudia enstilled in him traits of what she though a monarch should be. She had the foresight to realize that the Hulstrian Monarchy would most likely be restored in his lifetime, as already the Imperial Hulstrian Party had begun pushing it's return. When Rudolph was 12 his father decided to send him to bordering school in the Holy Luthori Empire, specifically in Liore, Agathion. It is during his time in Luthori, that Rudolph would develop a love of Fencing and Sharpshooting. However when Rudolph was 16, his grandmother Klaudia died of a massive heartattack. Rudolph was devistated and following his completion of his final term in Liore, and against his father's wishes, he decided to visit Kazulia, his grandmothers homeland. Rudolph landed in Kazulia in 2329. While he would only stay in the country for a little over a year, it would be a life changing experience for him. When he first arrived he met with many member of the Kazulian Aristocracy, particually Hulstrian members. After nearly 3 months of social engagements, Rudolph traveled to Hent, where he spent several months just meeting with common Hulstrians, many of whom had traveled to Kazulia to see him, because while Gishoto was no longer communist, the IHP had not been able to have his family's name removed from the "black list." It was in Hent that he picked up curling. His grandmother had always said that he needed to learn to curl because,"Curling is the one constant in Hulstria, governments come and go but curling is the people's sport and it never fades away." =Marriage and Family= Following his stay in Kazulia, Rudolph returned to study in Ostravan. While in university there he met Princess Hélène de Nareath. She was a member of the Nareath Royal Family, and he was quite taken aback by her. After 3 year courtship, Rudolph ask her father for her hand in marriage which his was given. The couple was married on March 17, 2338. Following the completion of his degree at the university, Rudolph and Hélène moved to a Nareath Villa on the outskirts of Ostravan. When Hénri-Philippe ascended to the Rildanorian Throne, Rudolph became uncle of the King. On April 18, 2341, Hélène gave birth to Archduke Rainer, Rudolph's heir-apparent. 2 Years later she gave birth to Archduke Dominik, and 1 year after that to Archduchess Klaudia, named for Rudolph's grandmother. =Return to Hulstria= In the late 2350's the Imperial Hulstria Party secretly began the process of removing the Rothingren-Traugott family from the "black list". In 2361 their work came to a head when they formally removed the Rothingren-Traugott family name from the exiled list. 6 months after being invited to return to Schloss Kien Rudolph, Hélène, and Klaudia landed in Kien. Rainer would arrive a day later from his studying in Malivia, and Dominik would be tied up in his studies for several more months in Kanjor. Upon arrival in Hulstria Hélène change you name and styling from Princess Hélène de Nareath to Archduchess Helene von Rildanreich, while continuing to use your husbands last name for legal documents. After getting settled in Schloss Fliederbrunn, Rudolph began meeting with members of the IHP such as future Archon Franz IV von Strauss. It was in these meetings that formal plans were laid out for the restoration of the monarchy. These plans detailed that Rudolph would have to become well known and popular with the people if he wanted to successfully take the Hulstrian throne. So Rudolph began what amounted to a decade long publicity tour, giving speeches, opening building, christening ships, ect. All were meant to build up his public like ability, which would then be tested by running him for Archon. =Archon of Gishoto= 12 years after arriving in Gishoto, the IHP decided Rudolph was finally well known and well liked enough to run for Archon and begin the restoration of the monarchy. However the IHP had not counted on George Reynolds-Ananto, the sitting Archon and a monarchist himself, to be as wildly popular and he won the election of 2373. However Reynolds-Ananto latered agreed to step aside as HNP Archon candidate and Rudolph was put forth on both the HNP and IHP tickets and therefore was running against himself. He won and during his term as Archon presided over the restoration of Hulstria and its Monarchy. =Kaiser of Greater Hulstria= On April 3rd, 2375 the constitutional amendments that restored the monarchy proposed by the IHP and supported by the HNP passed unanimously. The date on which the bill would pass would known long before hand, so at 12:01 am, on April 4th, 2375, Rudolph was Coronated, Kaiser of Hulstria. His formal title was, His Imperial and Illustrious Lutheran Majesty, Rudolph III, Defender of the Faith, by the Grace of God, Emperor of Hulstria, King of Mitrania and Budenlar, Grand Duke of Hilgar and Kuratha, ect. The event was televised and shown throughout the country the later that day and shown around the world. It should also be noted that Rudolph was coronated on his 63rd birthday. As Kaiser, Rudolph continued to maintain influence in government goings on and stood as an active symbol of Greater Hulstria and her ideals. He took an active role in appointing mayors as is his constitutional right. One of Rudolph's first acts was enobling George Reynolds-Ananto, making him Margrave George Reynolds-Ananto. As Kaiser Rudolph publicly condemned the segregration of the Welsh in Dranland as well as the Jews and Christians in Beiteynu. During the second attempt of a communist revolution, this time by the Christian Communist Party, Rudolph actively spoke out against a change in government. He became very active giving several speech on the floor of the Imperial Diet, as was his right as Kaiser. When the Purple Coalition prevailed, Rudolph was photographed with all Royalist Party leaders in the throws of victory. =Death= In January of 2396 Rudolph III was diagnosed with rapid onset alzheimer's. It was a stunning blow to both him, the imperial family and the entire nation of Greater Hulstria. As Rudolph became unable to maintain his royal duties in the following months his son and heir Crown Prince Rainer began to take over. In the Imperial Diet there was talk of having Rudolph abdicate, however the Imperial Family and high level party leaders would not hear of it. On June 17th, 2396 Rudolph suffered a major stroke and died in Schloss Fliederbrunn. Rainer unofficial assumed all duties as head of state and was coronated one month later on July 17th, 2396. According to Hulstrian Tradition, following Rudolphs death, both the Archduke of Hulstria, aka Crown Prince Rainer, and the Imperial Court must be notified. Then the Kaiser's amulet that bares his personal seal must be melted down for and made into the new Kaiser's amulet. On his father's death, Rainer declared the traditional 6 months of morning, during which the Imperial Diet may only meet once a week, all flags are to be flown at half staff, and at 12 noon every day church bells are tolled. The Kaiser's funeral was televised, and estimates suggest that over 100 million Hulstrians alone watched the day long event, and that almost 1 billion people through out the world tooned in. On the day of the funeral all places or work, including airports, and except hosiptals were closed. The Kaiser body was moved from the Imperial Diet where it had lay in state to the National Hulstrian Cathedral. Notiable figure in attendance to the funeral were Prime Minister Paul Greene, former PM Reinhard von Niederheschen, ect. Rudolph III was entombed in a new wing of the Imperial Crypt, next to his late wife, Helene von Rildanreich. Category:Nobility of Mikuni-Hulstria‎ Category:Hulstrian and Gao-Soton people